Flush floor electric outlet



Fig.)

. 4.Sheets-Sheet l D. 8. Ross .FLUSH FLOOR ELECTRIC OUTLET Filed April7, 1939 l"1 .-'1.F.;I5-h ..'..rx;i"iiii March-1s; 1941.

Snventor (Iftorneg 8 Donald 5- Ross m 4 March 18, 1941.

D. 5. R658 FLUSH FLOOR ELECTRIC OUTLET Filed April 7, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet 2 l lllllllll llllllllllllll I 3nv entor Donald 5- Ross g Yv C(ttornen March 18', 1941. D. s. Ross 2,234,982

FLUSH FLOOR ELECTRIC OUTLET Filed A rii 7, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5

I i l Snventor Donald S.Ross

March 18, 1941. D. 5. ms.

FLUSH FLOOR ELECTRIC OUTLE T Filed April-7, 1939' I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Dohald SR Zmnento;

os s amen A orneg Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16Claims.

My invention relates to electrical connectors or convenience outlets,and its uses and purposes are best illustrated in connection with afloor outlet rather than a wall outlet, for with floor outlets certainpeculiar problems are involved, to the solution of which my invention ispeculiarly adapted. It is not to be understood, however, that-theinvention is susceptible of use only with, or that it is restricted to,floor outlets, for its principles are equally usable with other types ofoutlets, e. g., wall outlets, if the occasion so requires. Theinvention, then, may be said to pertain to electric connectors to closea circuit to and through a removable member, at the opposite or normallyinaccessible side of a partition, a floor being one special type ofpartition.

It is frequently desirable to provide a conven-1 ience outlet forelectric current in floors, to avoid leading length of wire over orunder carpeting or across the bare floor from a wall outlet. The normaltype of outlet, however, is impracticable for use in a floor, for thereason that the open holes or sockets provided therein, for thereception of plugs or prongs, open into the interior of the socket, andcommunicate with the electrical conductors within the socket; theseopenings will at the least collect dust and dirt, and will perhaps fallto function properly, and may indeed receive metallic objects, such ashairpins, which will thus come into contact with a live conductor, andwhich may shock a person touching them, or perhaps through heatgenerated by resistance become a fire hazard. Such open sockets within afloor have come to be recognized as undesirable and potentiallydangerous, and some building codes prohibit their use.

It is one of the principal obects of the present invention to provide anoutlet of such type that it may be used in a floor, yet is completelyclosed over, has no aperture whatsoever leading to the interior, and hasno conductor which can be connected to the current source at such timeas the conductor is exposed.

A subsidiary object is thereby attained, namely, to provide a convenientoutlet which may be installed in a floor, and which may be,completelyand fully flush with the floor, without a break or crack, so as toconstitute in effect no brea in the smooth continuity of the floor.

More specifically it is an object to provide an outlet of the generaltype indicated, which is provided with two conductors, or such, numberas is required, which extend through the floor, to be flush with thesurface of the floor, and which are (or. zoo-as) capable of beingconnected in an electric circuit and thereby of transmitting electriccurrent to a removable member resting upon the floor and applied to theconductors, but which connection, beneath the floor, is not accomplisheduntil, and .by reason of, the placement of the removable member inproper position with relation to the connector or outlet. This placementof the removable member, corresponding to the plug, serves automaticallyto ellect movement of a circuit-closing means or switch beneath thefloor, thereby to close the circuit through the conductors. Thismovement of the circuit-closing means may be efiected by a force whichcan be projected through the floor, as, for instance, the

force of magnetism, or a suction force or a pressure force, or the like.

By such means a further object is achieved, namely, that the removablemember is held in its proper position relative to the outlet by a forcewhich is suflicient to prevent normal accidental displacement of theremovable member, such as the forces of magnetism or suction, previouslyreferred to, to the end that the positioning and holding functionsnormally accomplished by the prongs of a plug are no longer required.

It is a further object, of course, to provide such a connector in whichthe electrical circuit to the conductors which extend through the flooris automatically broken or interrupted by the action of removing theremovable member, which latter can be accomplished at the will of theoperator in opposition to the force which prevents accidentaldisplacement of the removable member.

With these and other objects in mind, as will appear hereafter, myinvention comprises the novel parts, and the novel combination andarrangement thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described inthis specification, and as will be more particularly pointed out by theclaims which terminate the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention embodied invarious forms illustrating the principles of my invention in differentforms of execution.

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the floor. illustrating a preferredform of the invention, utilizing the force of magnetism.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a somewhat modified formof the invention, and Figure 3 is a section, taken on the line 33 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating amodified formcof the invention employing the force of suction, andFigure 5 is a top plan view of the same, with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating a furthermodification, employing the force of magnetism, but accomplishing themaking and breaking of the electric current in a difierent manner.

The fioor is indicated at 9, and at the desired location a hole is cutin the floor which is closed and filled flush by a filter plate 90.,preferably of insulating material, such as fiber. The filler plate 95 issuitably held in place, as for instance by the bolts 9!, which again areflush with the floor. Through the insulating plate 90 extend twoconductors H and I 2, by means of which electric current from a sourceindicated as the lead-in wires BI and 82 is conducted to an outlet suchas the jacks 3| and 32, within which are receivable the prongs of anordinary appliance plug 4. Obviously the upper ends of the conductors IIand i2 should be finished flush with the plate 99, so that the entiresurface is smooth and flush with the surface of the floor 9.

It is self-evident that the conductors H and I2 cannot be alive, nor becapable of being left alive, except when they are protected againstcontact with dirt or other foreign matter, or

- against accidentally touching them. They may be protected, in thisinstance, by a housing device or casing 3, which may be of insulatingmaterial, and which carries the jacks 3i and 52 and connections betweenthe latter and the conductors i i and i2, butmeans must be providedwhich will only permit the conductors ii and IE to be connected to thecurrent source when the housing 3 is in place, and which willautomatically break the connection of the conductors to the cur entsource upon and by removal of the casing 5.

To this end I employ a force which will act through the partition, orthrough the filler plate 95, the force-producing member being carried bythe casing 3, so that it is only active when the casing is inplace. Thisforce may be the force of magnetism, acting through pole pieces thatextend through the filler plate 50, and which may be, indeed, the sameconductors ii and 82, if these are made of magnetic material, as ispreferred; or this force may be the force of suction, as in the formillustrated in Figures 4 and 5, or a pressure force.

In the form shown in Figure 1 electric terminals 5i and 52 are carriedupon but insulated from the opposite ends of a bar or armature 5, whichis of magnetic material, so that it will be attracted by a magneticforce. The magnetic armature 5 is supported and guided by brackets 83within a housing or junction box 541, and the lead-in wires 8i and 82,or somewhat more flexible extensions thereof 55 and 55, respectively,are connected to the respective terminals 5i and 52. The armature 5 isheld by gravity in the dash line position, where it is adjacent butspaced from the lower ends of the electric and magnetic conductors IIand I2, which now function as the pole pieces of a magnet, whenever thepole pieces are magnetized. These pole pieces are magnetized, wheneverit is desired to close the circuit,

' by a permanent magnet B, which is supported by and housed within thecasing 3. Magnetic contacts 5i and 62 are carried by thegpposite polesof the magnet 5, but electrically insulated from or are in electricalconnection with extensions 33 and 3!, of non-magnetic material, fromwhich the respective leads 35 and 38 extend to the jacks 8i and 32. Ahandle 50 may be of non magnetic material, or may be of magneticmaterial, to serve as a keeper for the magnet 6, if desired. In thelatter case it should be so pivotally connected, as shown in Figures 1and 2, that it may be turned and held, while the magnet is attractingthe armature 5 out of the magnetic path, as shown in dash lines in theseviews. A keeper is not strictly essential, some magnets being ofmaterial not easily demagnetized, or the magnet may be replaced fromtime to time if it loses its strength.

As it is believed will now be evident, when the magnet 5 isremoved, thepole pieces H and I2 are demagnetized, andv the armature 5 drops to itsdash line position, and hence there is no electrical circuit connectedthrough to the pole pieces ii and 82. Upon placing the magnet 6 inproper position, as shown, the pole pieces H and i2 are magnetized,attracting the armature extensions 53 and 3d, the leads 35 and 36, tothe outlet terminals 5| and 32. Now the plug 5 may be connected anddisconnected in the normal way, and to all intents and purposes thefloor outlet, though flush and dead when not in use, becomes the fullequivalent of a normal socketed convenience outlet.

It may be noted that the force of magnetism may be sufiiciently strong,and will be normally, that an accidental pull on the cord 40 to theappliance will not pull the magnet 5 away from the conductors ii and i2.Indeed, the housing 3 may be part of a heavy object, not easily moved,such as the base of a floor lamp. It may be pointed out, too, that whilethe same physical pieces ii and i2 are used both for electricalconductors and for magnetic pole'pieces, separate pieces may beemployed, so that the electrical and magnetic functions are divided.Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 6. In such an arrangement themagnetic pole pieces need not show at the floor surface, for they willwork sufficiently well if they are concealed beneath a thin cover.

Whenever it is desired to remove the housing 3 and the magnet 5 this maybe done by exerting sum'cient force to lift the magnet or to push itaside, and immediately the magnet is removed the pole pieces H and i2are demagnetized, and the armature 5 drops down and breaks the electriccircuit through the 'electric conductors H and 52.

The same general arrangement obtains in the form shown in Figures 2 and3, save that instead of insulating the two terminals 5! and 52 from asingle magnetic armature 5, the armature is divided into twoelectrically insulated bars 53 and 55, connected by the bolts 50 each ofwhich is connected electrically to a diiferent one of these constituentbars of the armature, but is insulated from the other. These bolts mayserve as the binding posts for the flexible leads 85 and 86.

In Figure 6 the arrangement is similar to that previously described, thearmature 5 in this instance being pivoted at 55 upon one of the ma neticpole pieces 56, and its free end being movable towards and from theopposite magnetic pole piece 55. The electric conductors II and I2,respectively, carry only electric current in this instance, and inconsequence are physically separate from and electrically insulated fromthe magnetic pole pieces 55 and i6, and from the magnet 6, and from anycontact with the armature 5. As a result the electrical contact points33' and 34' are independent of the magnetic pole tips 6| and 62'.

Since the electric circuits are entirely divorced from the magneticarmature 5' in this form, it is necessary to provide other means formaking and breaking the electric circuit. Such means, however, are underthe control of the armature. Thus the armature 5 is notched, asindicated at 56, to receive a pin 1| upon the end of a switch tumblerarm 12, forming part of an electric switch to which the lead-in wires 8|and I! are connected, and from which the leads 8'! and 88 extend to therespective electric conductors H and I2. The switch I is preferably of asnap type, working, however, against a comparatively weak spring, and isthrown into the open position by the downward swing of the armature 5'under the influence of gravity. As the magnet is attracted, however, theswitch is thrown, by upward movement of the armature, into closedposition, thereby closing the circuit through the electric conductorsand II, as the magnetic circuit is closed by contact of the armature 5'with the magnetic conductors and 65.

In Figures 4 and 5 similar principles are illustrated in conjunctionwith operation under the influence of a suction force. The filler plate90 in this instance is provided with a central aperture closed by aflexible diaphragm 83, supported from below by a plate 94. The flexiblediaphragm 93 may be of rubber, for instance, so that it will distend butwill return to its normal, flat position. It is suitably clamped andheld in place, and normally forms a smooth, flush continuation of thefloor surface, but may be flexed upwardly, as is indicated in dashlines, if acted on by suction, upwardly directed. To it, by a pin 95, isconnected a bar 95 of insulating material, which carries the electricterminals 5| and 52. No magnetic terminals are required, merely theelectrical conductors II and I2.

The housing 3' in this instance is formed with falls to its full-lineposition, where it is sup- I ported by the plate 94. When the casing 3'is put in place, however, and its flexible wall 31 is pushed inwardly,air is expelled from the chamber 38, about the margin of the casing, andsince the margin of the casing fits closely down to the surface of thefiller plate 90, air may not reenter the chamber 38, but upon release ofpressure from the wall 31 the latter, by its own inherent stiffness,tends to restore itself from the dash-line position to the full-lineposition. Spring means or other assisting means maybe employed to insurethat this takes place, if desired or necessary, and such spring meansmay be used with the magnetic forms of the device. Upon restoration ofthe shape of the casing 3 the partial vacuum within the chamber 18 drawsupwardly the flexible diaphragm 93, thereby drawing upwardly the bar 96and making contact between the electric terminals 5| and 52 and theelectric conductors II and I2. Again,

as in the other instances, the electricalconnection isbroken merely byremoval of the casing 3'.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Means to effect an electrical connection through a partition, oneside whereof is normally inaccessible, comprising, in combination,electrical conductors of magnetic material extending through thepartition, a magnetic removable member applicable to the accessible endsof the conductors, but electrically insulated therefrom, a magneticarmature adjacent but normally spaced from the inaccessible ends of theconductors, and movable under the influence of transmitted magneticforce into contact with such conductors, insulated live electricalterminals connected .to said armature, and movable with the latter intocontact with the corresponding conductors, and outlet terminals carriedby and insulated from the removable member, and disposed to contact theaccessible ends of the conductors, to be energized upon attraction ofthe armature.

2. A flush floor electrical outlet, comprising a pair of electricallyinsulated conductors of magnetic material extending through andterminating flush with the floor, a magnetic armature beneath the floorand supported to be attracted and moved by magnetization of theconductors, a pair of live insulated terminals carried by the armaturein position to contact the conductors, but normally out of contacttherewith, a magnet supported upon the floor and applicable to theconductors to magnetize them and thus to move the armature, and a pairof outlet terminals electrically insulated from the magnet, but disposedfor electrical contact with the conductors by such disposition of themagnet.

3. A flush floor electrical outlet, comprising a pair of electricallyinsulated conductors of magnetic material extending through andterminatto magnetize them and thus to attract the armature, and a pairof outlet terminals electrically insulated from the magnet, but disposedfor electrical contact with the conductors. by such disposition of themagnet.

4. A flush floor electrical outlet, comprising a pair of magnetic-polepieces extending through and terminating flush with the floor, amagnetic armature supported beneath the floor in position to be movedtowards the pole piece by magnetization of the latter. a magnetsupported upon the floor and applicable to the pole pieces to magnetizethem, outlet electric terminals carried minating flush with the floor,complemental .live contact points beneath the floor movable into andfrom contact with the respective conductors, and normally out of contacttherewith, a magnetic armature operatively connected to said livecontact points to move them, a housing, electric terminals carried bythe housing and disposed to contact the upper ends of the respectiveconductors, and a magnet likewise carried by the housing and associatedwith the terminals, and positioned, by the positioning of the terminalsin contact with the conductors, to attract the armature, thereby toclose the electric circuit.

6. A flush floor electrical outlet, comprising electric conductorsextending through and terminating flush with the floor, normally opencircuit closing means in circuit with the conductors, and disposedbeneath the floor, a magnetic armature operatively connected to saidswitch closing means to close the circuit when the armature isattracted, electric terminals disposed to contact the upper ends of therespective conductors, and a magnet associated with the terminals,and'positioned, when the terminals are in contact with the conductors,to attract the armature, thereby to actuate the circuit closing meansand to close the circuit through the conductors and the contactingterminals.

'7. Means to efl'ec't an electrical connection through a partition, oneside whereof is normally inaccessible, comprising, in combination, twoelectrical conductors extending through the par tition, two electricinlet terminals at the inaccessible side of the partition, onecorresponding to each of the conductors, and normally out of contacttherewith, a common supp rt for the two inlet terminals, means guidingsuch support for movement of the inlet terminals into and from contactwith the respective conductors, a removable member applicable to theaccessible ends of the conductors, carrying two outlet terminalsdisposed to contact each one of the conductors, and means carried by theremovable member, and operable when the removable member is thuspositioned to project an attractive force to the common support for theinlet terminals, thereby to attract and move such support, and thustoclose the circuit through the outlet terminals.

8. Means to efiect an electrical connection through a partition, oneside whereof is normally inaccessible, comprising, in combination, anelectrical conductor extending through the partition, a separatemagnetic conductor extending through the partition, an electric inlel'terminal at the inaccessible side of the partition, normally out ofelectrical contact with, but movable into such contact with, theelectrical conductor, a magnetic armature at the inaccessible side ofthe partition, disposed to be attracted and moved by the magneticconductor when the latter is magnetized, and operatively connected tothe inlet terminal to move the latter into electrical contact with itsconductor, when the armature is so moved, a removable member applicableto'the accessible side of the partition, an outlet electricterminalcarried by said removable member in position to contact the electricalconductor, and a magnet carried by the removable member, and applicableto the magnetic conductor, to magnetize the same, and thus to close theelectric circuit.

9. Means to effect an electrical connection through a partition, oneside whereof is normally inaccessible, comprising, in combination, anelectrical conductor extending through the partition, ,a pair ofnormally open switch points at the inaccessible side of the partition,one whereof is alive and the other whereof is electrically connected tothe conductor, a magnetic armature at the inaccessible side of thepartition, operatively connected to but electrically insulated'from oneof the switch points, to open or close the switch, a removable memberapplicable to the accessible side of the partition, an outlet electricalterminal carried thereby in position to contact the conductor, and meanscarried by the removable member to impress a magnetic force, through thepartition, upon the armature, to close the switch.

10. Means to effect an electrical connection through a partition, oneside whereof is normally inaccessible, comprising, in combination, anelectrical conductor extending through the partition, a pair of normallyopen switch points at the inaccessible side of the partition, onewhereof is alive and the other whereof is electrically connected to theconductor, a movable member at the inaccessible side of the partition,operatively connected to but electrically in sulated from one of theswitch points, to open or close the switch, a removable memberapplicable to the accessible side of the partition, an

outlet electrical terminal carried thereby in position to contact theconductor, and means carried by the removable member to impress a force,through the partition, upon the armature, to close the switch.

11. An attachment member for connecting an electric cord or the like toa current source, and for use with an electrical outlet whichincorporates a pair of conductors, and magnetizable means to close aswitch to connect the conductors to such current source, said attachmentmember comprising a pair of terminals connected to the two wires of thecord, and disposed to contact the respective conductors of the outlet,and a magnet associated with said terminals, the latter beingelectrically insulated from the magnet.

12. An attachment member for use with an electrical outlet wherein anelectric circuit is closed to include two exposed conductors by movementof a submerged element, to enable the connection of an electric cord orthe like to the exposed conductors and thence to connect the cord in theelectric circuit, said attachment member comprising a pair of terminalsconnected respectively to the two wires of the cord, and meanselectrically insulated from the terminals, and active, upon applicationto such an outlet,

to project an attractive force to effect movement of the submergedelement, and thereby to efiect closure of the electric circuit throughthe exposed conductors, the terminals, and the cord.

13. An electric outlet for use with an attachment member whichincorporates a pair of insulated terminals connected to the wires of acurrent consumer, and a means to project a force, said electric outletcomprising a face plate, two insulated electric conductors supportedtherein and extending therethrough from its submerged face to itsexposed face, in position to contact the respective terminals of theattachment member, means constituting a normally open electric switch,disposed at the submerged face of the face plate, and when closedconnecting said conductors in an electric circuit, and means disposed atthe submerged face of the face plate, and movable under the influence ofa force projected from the appropriate means of the attachment member,to close said switch, thereby to close the electric circuit through theswitch, the conductors, the terminals, the cord, and the currentconsumer.

14. An electric outlet for use with an attachment member whichincorporates a pair of insulated terminals connected to wires of acurrent consumer, and a magnet, said electric outlet comprising a faceplate, two insulated electric conductors extending therethroueh from itsface which is submerged in use to its exposed face, in position to becontacted by the respecive terminals of the attachment member, meansconstituting a normally open electric switch,

' disposed at the submerged face of the face plate,

organized and arranged, when closed, to connect the respectiveconductors in an electric circuit, and a magnetic armature operativelyconnected to the electric switch, and disposed at the submerged face ofthe face plate, and movable under the influence of the attachmentsmagnet to close the switch, thereby to close the'electric circuit toinclude the current consumer.

15. In combination, an electric outlet comprising a face plate, twoinsulated conductors extending therethrough from that face which issubmerged in use to its then-exposed face, means constituting a normallyopen electric switch, disposed at the submerged face of the face plate,organized and arranged, when closed, to connect the respectiveconductors in an electric circuit, a movable switch-operating elementdisposed at the submerged face of the face plate, and northe face plate,to project an attractive force to effect movement of the submergedswitchoperating element, and thereby to effect closure of the electriccircuit through the switch, the conductors, the terminals, and the cord.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein 'the switch-operating elementis a magnetic armature. and the attachment-carried means is, a permanentmagnet.

DONALD S. ROSS.

